Sheffield United boss talks controversial loan vote, injuries and huge survival clashes v Bournemouth, Burnley

Sheffield United are gearing up for a big test of their survival credentials against their fellow strugglers Bournemouth at Bramall Lane this weekend. The Blades' battle to retain their Premier League status has been boosted by four points from their last two games, and Everton's 10-point deduction.

Those two factors mean United go into the Cherries clash third bottom and just a point behind fourth-bottom Luton. Dragging themselves out of the bottom three, after being roundly written off as relegation certainties by rival fans and outside pundits alike, would represent a huge psychological boost but Bournemouth will prove a tough test after a mini-resurgence of their own of late.

Boss Paul Heckingbottom faced the local and national media this afternoon to preview the clash, with this week's controversial Premier League loan vote, crunch games against Bournemouth and Burnley and that old favourite topic of injuries amongst those on the agenda...

On the loans debate...

United were in the news this week with the revelation that they were one of the sides to vote against a block on clubs loaning players from related clubs, which required 14 in agreement to pass and only got 13 - with United's vote being significant in that respect. In many ways their vote was no surprise, considering their place in the United World network, but the chances of a player coming to the Premier League from one of their feeder clubs seems remote at the minute.

Heckingbottom was asked about the issue ahead of this weekend's clash with Bournemouth, and insisted it hadn't come across his desk. "I don't know which way we voted. If it affected me directly I'd want to be all over it but it's not something I've ever been interested in. I don't know anything about it."

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On a huge next two games...

After a tough start to the season, games against relegation rivals Bournemouth and Burnley could go a long way towards defining the Blades' season. But Heckingbottom is not looking too far ahead. "We want to keep momentum going; the message has not changed," he said. "Because we finished strongly in both our last two games and been the team on top at the end, I've took a lot from that. The players and the fans have as well.

"We've kept ourselves in those games and we need to do that. We could easily have takern points from Spurs and City, who have been the teams everyone's talking about. There's lots of ways to take points but we have to be in a position to do it. We're at home, we want to try and capitalise and take the points."

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On injuries...

Anel Ahmedhodzic and Oli McBurnie are fit and available again after their respective muscle injuries, although neither are in a position to play 90 minutes just yet. "They've been big for us," Heckingbottom said of the pair. "Anel in the last 18 months or so, and Oli over the last couple of years.

"We want them fit and available. I'd love everyone fit and available. It's no disrespect but we're getting to 60 minutes in games and I'm looking round and looking at depths of other squads and what we've had, and we've not been able to do it. But with them back, and a hopefully a couple more, our bench is really competitive and when we're making substitutions, we're having a bigger impact on the game."

Jayden Bogle is still carrying a minor issue but Vinicius Souza is "fine" after taking a whack to the back at Brighton before the international break. James McAtee also shook off cramp on international duty with England U21s to train as normal ahead of Bournemouth.

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On Bournemouth's test

Heckingbottom was asked ahead of the game whether it was approaching "must-win" territory. "Lots of people already giving me the points," he smiled. "No, you only have to look at their last game [beating Newcastle 2-0], they were really good. Newcastle impose themselves and try and dominate but Bournemouth were really good, so it's going to be difficult.

"Regardless of the opposition, we have to put ourselves in the position to take points. Whoever we're playing. We've shown we can do that, we got over the line in the last two and that's the difference. They're an athletic team, do a lot of work with the press. We have to understand that's a big weapon for them but make sure we can create chances and difficult moments and capitalise on them."